MINIUSA’s GP Ordering Line is Open… If You’re a Current GP Owner

MINI has officially flipped the switch on the toll-free reservation line for the 2013 MINI JCW GP. However the catch is you have to be a GP owner to qualify. So if you have a GP in the garage and you’re ready to plunk down $1,000 to reserve a new GP just call 1.800…. oh right. Probably shouldn’t mention that.

Well if you’re a GP owner you should have received a letter telling you what to do. If you’re not a current GP owner check MotoringFile a little closer to November 15th when the reservations line is opened to the general public. And for the record, here’s a portion of the letter sent out to GP owners.

Wish I were ordering one, however that is a beautiful shot of the GP on this article.

John

Wish I was was rich enough to order one just do I could take the rear diffuser and front under panel off and put them on my JCW Coupé! Then just sell the remains of the GP.

Edge

John… wouldn’t you want to swap out the 6-pot brakes too?

Kurtster

Looks like the brakes on the GP are overkill to me. Are the JCW brakes really not sufficient under hard-driving track conditions? They’re already huge for a car that size, so the GP ones seem gargantuan.

Edge

I guess I think a little different… I don’t think there’s such a thing as “too much braking power”. Put it this way – I already have retrofit the 2nd Gen JCW brakes onto my R53… and I plan on upgrading again to the GP2 brakes as soon as I can get my hands on the parts! 🙂

jdulam

Group 4 Autosports is really close to having a comeback, and it will start with some new coupe parts. Stay tuned

piper

Utterly disgusting gouging! The price is beyond reason, not to mention, the pocketbooks of many MINI enthusiasts. The priority system should result in a glut of ’06 GPs on dealer lots ripe for picking and afford MINI dealers another opportunity to inflate used car prices. The whole scenario spells EXPLOITATION writ large! $40k+ for any MINI is outrageous baring perhaps a race spec version.

kellyp

2 thing influence price, supply and demand. If there isn’t demand to support the ~ $40k price it wouldn’t be $40k. I don’t see the gouging and exploitation you’re talking about? It would be great if every car cost 20 bucks, but that doesn’t pay the bills, does it?

Easy there, killer. I just went to the configurator and spec’d a JCW Hardtop with similar equipment (none of the GP-only special stuff, and no non-GP items like Nav, etc.) and landed on $39,320. The MSRP on the GP is $39,950, which given the aero work, the one-of-a-kind wheels, and a set of barely street legal racing tires, makes the GP a bargain if you ask me. Now you might argue that the JCW is overpriced to begin with, but the GP is not appreciably more expensive than a JCW hardtop. Given all the other options available (none of the main packages were selected in my $39k spec) the GP is nowhere near as expensive as a MINI can be. I went back to my spec car and it was $45,640 once I’d “kitchen sink’d” it.

chadleclos

Its very clear to now see that the GP has dividesd opinions amongst most enthusiasts, with the price also being a major talking point. I have my name down for a gp here in South Africa but am undecided between it or the new bmw m135i. I can get both vehicles for around the same price and it is a blast to drive. My heart wants the GP (only 30 coming to my country) but my head says m135i. I was also once told to never purchase a vehicle on emotion lol. At the end of the day, I just want a car that is genuinely quick and an absolute hoot to drive! Therefore I will be basing my choice on your reviewof the new GP. Need to make a decisions within the next two weeks so I hope its up soon! Cheers:-)

Jerry

I hate to say it, but I would get the BMW. Though I doubt that it comes at about the same price for the 135. Maybe the 128, but not the 135. At least not here in the U.S.

BimmerFile_Michael

M135i is roughly the same price as the GP. I was initially very interested in the GP, not so much anymore. The M135i is an amazing piece of hardware that is much more usable… I have one already to be built if I can get the green light from the better half (her 120d comes in this week).

Kurtster

Well I just dropped a little over $40k to order a loaded JCW Coupe. Yes, it’s priced higher than it should be, but then again, what Mercedes or BMW isn’t as well? I test drove the Ford Focus ST. The headliner has a gap big enough to stick my whole finger between it and the roof where it meets the sunroof. There’s a piece of styrofoam (painted black) stick behind the rear seats, presumably to dampen a noise or squeak. When you gently touch the lip of the gauges on the dash, the whole dash moves with it. Yes, you can get a car with the same specs on paper for $10k less, but that doesn’t mean you’re getting the same quality. When you think of the GP (or JCW Coupe IMO) as the most affordable M Car from BMW, it puts it in a different perspective, and it’s all about perspective. I don’t see any “gouging” going on. These are phenomenal small cars – dare I say as good as it gets in the hot hatch category. If the pricing seems that outrageous to you, maybe it isn’t the car for you.

that.guy

“street-savvy”?? Is that really the best they could do?

jimskater

Just got my invite, sonow I need $40,000. The collection box is immediately to my left.

jdulam

I have a GP and did not receive the letter…… this may be because I just moved and my mail from my old house seems to be held up for some reason. I love the new GP, but I plan on keeping the original GP forever, so I will buy the 2013 GP used a few years from now at a much reduced price. I still think 40k for a MINI is a bit steep, regardless of whether it is a JCW Coupe loaded out or a new GP, I just can’t bring myself to spend that much money on a MINI new!

PilotOfCamels

Why aren’t the new GPs numbered? Got my black envelope last night, not quite decided if I want to get one, it only has 211hp, what’s up with that? Did I mention the cars are not numbered?

Kurtster

Yeah, for me it just doesn’t have enough differentiation on things I would use every day as a daily driver to justify waiting for the GP and doing without things like MINi Connected and integrated navigation and premium sound. I’m not a race drive and I won’t be going to the Nurgurgring anytime soon so the GP just isn’t special enough in the areas I want. If you’re a racer, hey it’s tailor-made for you.

Jerry

For that price, they should have given it a larger, more powerful engine. I think the standard mini engine is pretty much bumping up against its limits for horsepower.